Here's the situation:
1. Son was driving when he said the car started bucking, hesitating and the CEL came on. He managed to get it where he was going and parked it. When he returned and tried to start it, no joy.
2. Tried jumping it. Wouldn't turn over. Tried different battery, still no crank. Towed car back home.
3. Replaced starter and made sure battery was fully charged. It now cranks but won't start. I can tell that one or tune cylinders fire, but it won't catch.
4. I can hear fuel pump run when key in run position. Checked schrader valve and fuel present at rail.
5. Pulled plugs on both sides and good spark present. Even checked resistance on coils and all appear to be in tolerance.
6. Pulled battery cable to clear codes, reconnected and then connected the ScanGauge II from my truck. It can communicate but isn't pulling the codes. CEL is still lit on dash.

Looking for options. Is it the CPS? Unfortunately I don't have another code scanner at the moment to check codes.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

See if your coolant level is low. Also check your oil level & see if the oil looks like a chocolate milkshake.

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2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS

Not sure what this has to do with my problem, but coolant is good and oil was just changed a couple weeks ago. Is the idea that the block is cracked and coolant has mixed with the oil?

Also, I purchased a different code scanner. After hooking it up, it won't pull the codes. It keeps flashing the monitor icons suggesting that the PCM is still running its tests. I let it sit in the ignition in run for 15 minutes, but it still wouldn't post any codes. The CEL is still lit on the dash.

This is frustrating. If I can't pull the codes, how am I gonna know what to troubleshoot?

He asked about the coolant and oil because the UIM can fail and flood the intake runners with coolant, and hydro lock the motor. Or the LIM can let go and let coolant into the lifter valley. This is a very common problem with the series II 3800s because of the nylon UIM and the EGR tube in side. The nylon breaks down because of the heat and the coolant passage around the EGR tube deteriorates and lets coolant into the intake. With the LIM it's the gaskets that break down because the DEX eats the gaskets and lets coolant go where ever.

When was the last time either or both were changed?

Are you still running DEX?

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1999 Bonneville SE with the heart of a 07 Grand Prix

Yeah, it sure sounded as though the engine started ingesting coolant & then hydrolocked while the engine was turned off. It's not clear from your post if you checked the coolant & oil or just assumed they were still ok from two weeks ago. We'll go on assuming the levels are ok.

Check all the fuses.
Try starting with the MAF sensor unplugged.
Check for spark from each coil.
Check for fuel injector pulse.

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2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS

Bing & Mech Mike:

I see what you were getting at now. I'm just not familiar with this make/model. I work mostly on my truck. The kid drives this car.
Ok, I drained the oil and checked it - nothing of note there - no discoloration and no sign of coolant. Upon further cross-examination, my son did say that after the car was towed back home, he noticed that the coolant was way low and filled it back up. I know that I had topped it off during the last oil change (now three weeks ago). That's why I said the coolant looked fine in the earlier thread. Based on that info, should I be tearing into the UIM? It appears that that's a known problem on these engines. This one has 189K on it.

I also still don't know why I can't pull the codes off this car. My Innova reader seems to snyc up but it just keeps cycling and showing that the Monitor routines are still not complete.

I would pull the plugs out and see if you get coolant out of any of them. Check and see if you have the updated LIM gaskets. The updated ones are aluminum, so if you scrape some of the joint between the head and the LIM and its shinny or bright then its aluminum. If its black then there are the plastic (nylon ones) and should be replaced with the UIM. Also get the updated UIM, it has a smaller EGR stove pipe and the best one has a metal sleeve around the opening to protect the coolant passage (APN). Another note if you haven't already done so, get rid of the DEX-COOL.

Heres a guide on how to do both.
http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =53&t=3591

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1999 Bonneville SE with the heart of a 07 Grand Prix

Coolant seems to be really bad for spark plugs. I'll bet it fires right up if you:
Drain the coolant.
Remove all six plugs & crank the engine over.
Install new plugs.

Just don't run it for more than about 10 seconds without coolant.

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2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS

Thanks to both of you for your help. The link is very useful and within my capabilities. I found this kit in another posting - wondering if this is the upgraded UIM that you spoke of:
http://www.ineedparts.com/auto-parts/intake-manifolds/gm-intake-manifold-kit-17806.html

I'll first try the suggestion by MM to pull the plugs / drain the coolant / crank it over. I've got new plugs and will replace while I'm at it.

Thanks again!

Thats the intake you want to get. It has the metal sleeve to protect the opening around the EGR stove pipe.

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1999 Bonneville SE with the heart of a 07 Grand Prix

Quick update:
Managed some time and got the coolant drained, fresh oil added and plugs pulled. Cranked it over a few times and installed new plugs. Started up on the first crank! I'll order the APN kit tonight and post up the results when finished.

Have you taken a look at the Lower Intake Manifold gaskets yet? If they are the black ones, nows the time to do them. You're 90% of the way there when you do the UIM. Most likely they probably are leaking to.

I'd just do them both if I were you, just my 2 cents.

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1999 Bonneville SE with the heart of a 07 Grand Prix

Do the LIM gaskets. They should not be skipped under any circumstances. And don't forget:

www.dex-cool.net Get it out of there!

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I've ordered both the upper and lower kits. I also figured I'd replace the sending unit in the gas tank while I've got this thing torn apart. That gauge hasn't worked for quite awhile.

Just wanted to close this thread out...

The LIM gasket was toast. Looked like many of the others posted here. UIM actually looked like new. Parts arrived on Thursday and finished up today. Replaced LIM gasket and UIM with kits mentioned earlier. Runs better than before. Will keep a close eye on the coolant levels for next few weeks, but I'm confident that did the trick.

Thanks again to Bing and Mech Mike for your help. Couldn't have done it without 'ya

Glad to hear, hopefully you caught it in time before the bearings got any moisture. Do an oil change in the next 100 miles or so. Just to make sure everything is cleaned out and that there is no moisture hiding out down by the bearings.

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1999 Bonneville SE with the heart of a 07 Grand Prix